Theme: The Lord Our Shepherd (3) 26th Dec. 2023
Topic: Appreciating Divine Discipline
Memory Verse: John 10:11
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. NKJV
Today’s Reading: Ps 23:3
He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness. For His name’s sake. NKJV
Words of the Ministry:
Saints, we are looking at the third verse in Psalm 23, still considering the theme the Lord our shepherd, we see David the psalmist saying the Shepard restores his soul. Here the sheep share a testimony of the shepherd’s wonderful dealings that brings transformation to the soul. The word interpreted restore in the Greek is shub which means to return or to turn back. By implication the testimony of the psalmist and of every true sheep is that our dying soul have been restore by the shepherding of the Lord, as we feast on the Lord at his pasture, our souls are being renewed. The bible says in Rom 12.2 that we should renew our mind with the word which is figuratively water, so as the Lord leads us by the still waters (the word) our souls are renewed.
Again the psalmist testifies of the Lord’s leading in righteousness. This the lord does through the Holy spirit within us, the Lord leads the saints in righteousness to make them pure without spot or wrinkle. When we check with our experience, we can say that the Holy Spirit through the word (written or spoken) and through our conscience (renewed heart), we get the leading and rebuke from the Lord to ensure we walk in absolute obedience and righteousness.
All this he does for his name sake. This is not a small matter, our God is Holy and wants us to be Holy especially because we have taken his name. Many cite the verse, don’t take the Lord’s name in vain Exo 20.7, but what many don’t realize is that only Christians can take the Lord’s name in vain. When a man marries a new bride, the woman takes the husbands name. The implication is that whatever the new bride now does automatically affects the husband’s name. That is what it means to take the Lord’s name. To not take it in vain therefore is to ensure our lives suggests to the world the personality of our righteous God. With this understanding we can therefore see verse 3 as saying, the Lord restores ours soul and leads us in righteousness for his name, to ensure his name is not ridiculed among the gentiles.
Saints, the Lord our shepherd is Holy, we have assumed his name as we are his bride. We must submit as sheep to the guidance, rebuke and dealings of the Lord in righteousness for his name sake. Our living must never bring doubt to the personality of God. Our lives must never be a reason for the unsaved to doubt the glorious transforming power of the cross. May the lord grant us light.
Bible in One Year: Revelations 9-11
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